The present invention relates to a device for applying a product, in particular a cosmetic or a care product, to hair, such as eyelashes, eyebrows, or any other type of keratinous fibers, for example. The device may include a wand, (e.g., stem) provided with an application member comprising a base portion carrying one or more elements for applying the product.
Conventional devices of this general type exist. However, there is a desire to have an application member that is capable of holding a relatively large quantity of the product so as to substantially limit the need to refill the application member with product too frequently during application of the product.
In conventional application members that may include a row of teeth, the amount of product retained between the teeth may depend on their spacing. The amount of product that may be taken up by the application member may then be limited by the fact that the teeth desirably remain relatively close together in order to allow the teeth to grip and take hold of the eyelashes during application of the product thereto. Such gripping may improve the combing function of the applicator.
One optional aspect of the present invention includes an applicator which may be capable of combing the eyelashes, or other hair, and of smoothing the product on the surface thereof in a satisfactory manner, while also optionally being comfortable to use and substantially limiting the need for refilling the application member with product too often.
Certain optional embodiments of the invention may achieve this by providing a device for applying a product to hair comprising a wand and an application member disposed on an end of the wand. The application member may have a base portion and at least one wall connected over at least a portion of its length to the base portion. The wall may have at least one free edge defining a plurality of notches having bottoms disposed at a distance, such as a non-zero distance, from the base portion.
In an optional aspect, the sides of the wall extending between the base portion and the at least one free edge are substantially smooth.
In another optional aspect, the length of the at least one free edge of the wall extends in a direction non-perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wand.
In yet another optional aspect, a longitudinal axis of the application member and a longitudinal axis of the wand are substantially parallel to each other.
In yet another optional aspect, a dimension of at least a portion of the wand in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wand is less than a length of the at least one free edge.
According to another optional aspect, a device for applying a product to hair includes a wand, a handling member disposed on a first end of the wand, and an application member disposed on a second end of the wand opposite to the handling member, the application member having a base portion and at least one wall connected over at least a portion of its length to the base portion. The wall may have at least one free edge defining a plurality of notches having bottoms disposed at a distance from the base portion.
In an optional aspect of the invention, the product may become deposited on the portion of the wall which extends between the base portion and the bottoms of the notches, thereby essentially forming supplies of product. This may make it possible to increase the time during which the application member can be used without the need for refilling it, while still allowing the application member to grip the eyelashes or other hair, to spread the product on the surface thereof, and to curve the hair, if desired.
In an optional embodiment, the device has a reservoir (e.g., receptacle) for containing the product to be applied. A wiper member for wiping product from the application member may be associated with the reservoir. The application member may be configured to be removably positioned within the reservoir. Optionally, the application member may be configured to be removed through an opening defined by the reservoir. Optionally, the wiper may wipe the application member as it is removed from the reservoir. In an optional embodiment, the reservoir may contain a mascara product. The application member may optionally be configured to apply a product to eyelashes. The wand optionally may be configured to be disposed in a reservoir without engaging with the reservoir to close the reservoir.
When a handling member is provided on an end of the wand opposite the application member, the handling member may form a closure cap for the reservoir. The handling member may be removably engagable with the reservoir so as to allow the reservoir to be opened and closed. The handling member optionally may include screw threading configured to cooperate with screw threading on the reservoir. In an optional aspect, the length of the wand may be at least approximately 3 centimeters and the length of the handling member may be at least approximately 3 centimeters. Also optionally, the handling member may include a skirt portion into which the wand extends. Screw threading optionally may be provided on an internal portion of the skirt portion.
The application member optionally may be formed integrally with the wand by molding, for example, an elastomer material. Alternatively, the application member may optionally be formed separate from the wand and may be attached to the wand.
By way of optional example, the application member may be made out of a plastic material that is more flexible than the plastic material used for making the applicator wand. This may provide an applicator that is comfortable to use.
In another optional embodiment, the application member may be integrally formed by molding as a single piece. The application member may be formed of an elastomeric material.
The wall of the application member optionally may be substantially planar. Also optionally, the wall may have folds. For example, the sides of the wall extending between the base portion and free edge may include folds. These folds optionally may extend substantially perpendicular to the free edge. The presence of folds may enhance a combing action on the eyelashes or other hairs. Such folds also may increase the surface area of the wall suitable for receiving the product, and also may increase the time during which the applicator may be used between refills. The folds optionally may be substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the base portion.
In an optional embodiment, the application member includes end portions, for example a front and rear end portion or lateral end portions, which may extend substantially perpendicular to the base portion at substantially opposite ends of the base portion. The base portion may interconnect the end portions. Optionally, the wall for applying the product may be connected, over all or part of its height to the end portions. Also optionally, the wall may have axial free ends. The base portion may optionally be disposed either centrally relative to the end portions or off-center relative to the end portions.
The thickness of the wall optionally may be less than a width of the base portion as measured in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the base portion. A cavity may be defined by a surface of the base portion on which the wall is disposed and a side of the wall, the cavity being configured to hold a product to be applied.
The wall for applying the product may optionally be made of an elastomeric material, which may provide the application member with relatively more flexibility.
In an optional embodiment, the wall may have branch portions (e.g., ramifications) which may extend outwardly from another portion of the wall. Such a branch portion may optionally include a free edge defining notches. Each of these branches may have an edge provided with notches for applying the product to hairs.
The application member also optionally may have a plurality of edges defining notches for applying the product, which edges may optionally be arranged so that hair (e.g., an eyelash) can come into contact with at least two of them during application. The free edges optionally may substantially define an envelope surface interconnecting the end portions of the application member.
The base portion optionally may include a plurality of walls interconnecting the end portions of the application member. Each of these walls may have an edge having notches (e.g., serrations), spikes or teeth.
In yet another optional embodiment, the application member may have teeth, or spikes, on the free edge, with adjacent teeth forming the notches. Optionally, two rows of teeth or spikes may be disposed on a free edge of a wall. These teeth may optionally be axially offset along a longitudinal axis of the base portion, essentially forming a staggered configuration. Adjacent teeth optionally may be curved alternately outward to opposed sides with respect to the longitudinal axis of the application member.
The application member optionally has a plurality of walls disposed in a flared configuration when the application member is observed in cross-section along a longitudinal axis of the application member. Each wall may have at least one edge capable of combing hair. The walls disposed in a flared configuration optionally may be arranged so as to enable a hair to come into contact with two adjacent edges simultaneously during application.
According to certain optional embodiments, the free edge of the at least one wall may have a length that extends in a direction non-perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wand. Optionally, a longitudinal axis of the application member may be substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wand on which the application member is provided, or, alternatively may be oriented at an angle, or substantially perpendicular, to the wand""s longitudinal axis.
At least one wall for applying the product also may include spikes lying in or projecting from a respective plane thereof.
The application member optionally also may have a wall connected to the base portion via bridges of material that may leave gaps between one another in which the product can be held.
According to another optional aspect, the application member may include projecting elements, which may optionally be in the form of teeth or spikes, for example, disposed on the base portion adjacent the wall. Two rows of projecting elements may optionally be provided, with the rows optionally being disposed on opposite sides of the wall to one another.
The notches optionally may be V-shaped.
In another optional aspect, the wand has a substantially circular cross-section.
According to yet another optional aspect, at least a portion of the wand has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the application member. Also optionally, the base portion has a cross-sectional shape that differs from a cross-sectional shape of the wall. The base portion optionally may be elongated substantially in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the wand.
According to yet another optional aspect of the invention, a method of applying a product to hair comprises providing a device of any of the optional types discussed above, loading at least a portion of the application member with a product to be applied to hair, and placing the application member in contact with the hair such that the product is applied to the hair.
According to an optional aspect, the loading may include loading at least some of the notches with the product. According to yet another optional aspect, the loading includes inserting the application member into a reservoir containing the product. Also optionally, the placing the application member in contact may include contacting the hair with the bottoms of at least some of the notches.
Yet another optional aspect of a method according to certain optional embodiments of the invention, includes gripping the hair with the bottoms of at least some of the notches.
The product to be applied according to certain optional embodiments of the invention is mascara and the hair includes eyelashes. Optionally, the product is chosen from a solid, a semi-solid, a liquid, and a liquid-to-pasty product.
Yet other optional objects will become apparent from the detailed description which follows. The devices and methods of applying described herein may optionally solve some or all of the problems discussed above with reference to conventional applicator devices and methods. It should be understood that the invention could be practiced without performing one or more of the optional objects and/or advantages described above. Certain other optional aspects of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.
Aside from the structural and procedural arrangements set forth above, the invention could include a number of other arrangements, such as those explained hereinafter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and the following description are exemplary.